Creping method and apparatus



Dec.5,1939. I WH N ARD 2,1s2;72o

CREPI NG METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, .1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IL... 1 1. -41" I 7..

Dec. 5, 1939. w, CANNARD 2,182,720 I CREPING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed 001:. 20, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 2 5, 1939. w. H. CANNARD CREPING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ill CREPING METHOD ND AFPARATUS I v Fil ed got. 20, 1936 De c. 5, 193.9. w. H. cAN ARb 2,182,720

CREPING I METHOD AND APPARATUSQ-I;

. Filed Oct. 20, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 5, 1939, I r

UNITED STATES" last- 2) a 2,182,720 f mm v mrnon AND 'manarus- William H. Green Bay, Wls. i I Application October 20, 1936, Serial No, 106,683

, I 110m (c1;. 1'5 4-'-'s0) This invention is directed to the production of longitudinal cor u ations, or cmping, in web or sheet material, having particular reference to the manufacture of crepe paper or similar material wherein pleat corrugationsare provided to give elasticity and/or other feifects; The invention involves novel apparatus for accomplishing this object and a novel operating method, in the practice of which the proposed apparatus may be em D y f .1 M v '7 1 In commercial practice a moving web or sheet of material is usually progressively narrowed and longitudinal corrugations gradually formed inci-, dental to and simultaneously with narrowing, and

theoperation continued until the corrugations have attained the desired proportions 'and arrangement, For practical purposes the corrugations or pleats mustbe relatively numerous and fairly fine; thereby necessitating a, substantial" transverse crowding of the original web for theirv production. .Any attempt to form the full comple-i ment of corrugations within a relatively shortlongitudinal traverse of the web will be likely to cause lengthwise ruptures in the web and/or tearing at the edges because the material can not be satisfactorily crowded in the various" transverse areas to provide suflicient material for formation by the pleating instrumentalities into the full complement of corrugations of the desired form. Because of these practical difficulties, a, relatively long machine 'isrequired', and the corrugations can not be attained in their desired form, particularlywhere the web is of substantial width, until the material in themachine has traveled a sub stantial lengthwise distance.

I have discovered that the"corrugating of the material may be carried out'togreat advantage by dividingzthe operation intoa series of stages under which the material is first transversely 40 crowded into preliminary erinkles, and then reformed in one o'r'more subsequent stages-to pro-,

duce'in the crowded areas the desired corrugated formation. v v V a In the first stage the web maylibe formed into temporary corrugations or pleats, of a different type than those eventually desired and serving primarily only'to narrow the web and produce the transversely crowded condition necessary for the formation of corrugations of another form. In 5 thenex't stage the temporary corrugations maybe completely or in part re-formed orobliterated as having served their purpose, and'an entirely new set of corrugations formed in the web which characteristically diifer both in number and shape from the original corrugations. This second stage mayp ovide the-final corrugating operation or,-i as more fully explainedin my copending a'pplica tiOn Ser iaI NO." 106,"685, filed October 20, 1936,

the'corrugationsproduced in the second stage.

diifei-ent arrangement-of corrugations;

It will be understood, in anyevenathat the pun pose of a preceding corrugating stageaccording to the invention is to provide the necessary crowded or'crinkled condition of a web or sheet of m- 10 terialnecessary to provide sumcient widthwise' to be'formed in the following stage into a predetermined number [and form of commas tions. In the preceding stage the, preliminary corrugationsmay be formed tothe full width or '1 the web, and the corrugations in the subsequent stage similarly rm-med to the "full' width'of the web, or only for portions of ,the width; Again. the preliminary corrugations may be for may be re-formed in a further stage into'a'still 5 I only a portion r thewidth of thematerial sa'y 80 in the whole central area, and the corrugationsfin thenext stage formed to'the' full'width' of the preliminary corrugations and alsoinj the adioin -w ing edge areas not treated "inthei'preliininary' 1" stage.' Theexact procedure followed 'inthisf're- 25 v I spect will? be, determined by thedegree of -crc'mr'd- I ing necessary to be attained in thei prfeliminary stage to accommodate. the-entire set of'corrugations formed in the subsequent stage and this in turn will be determined by the relative number and size of corrugations in the following stage in relation to the temporary corrugations" produced in the preceding stage, or, more specifically, by the relative proportions and numbers of the corrugating instrumentalities in the diiferent stages? Normally the proposed method will be carried out by producing in the first operating stage pre-' liminary corrugations which are coarser and fewer in number than those eventually :desiredniIn the following stage the relatively coarse corruga- 40 tions which serve to crowd the web will-.be re-' formed into an entirelyinewset of corrugations which will befiner both in idpn a a depththan the preliminary corrugations. Thus, one two'or more of the finer corrugations may i the second 45 stage be formed in the area originally occupied by I a single coarse corrugation. 0! course, the

greater, the numbe'nof fine corrugations, the more crowded must be the condition of the web to pro vide material sufiicient for their, formation, and

the greater must be the material taken up ii'rthe bight'ofthecoarsecorrugation in order-to provide'a greater concentration or crowding; In the apparatus I propose to employ-as corrur gating means in both the narrowing and main is,

corrugating units sets of traveling belts in somewhat the arrangement employed in the single stage corrugating machine of my prior Patent No. 1,716,260, dated June 4, 1929. Itwill be understood, however, that within the broad principles of my invention, other types of corrugating mechanism may be employed in one or more of the combined units. It is entirely within the scope of the present process to use corrugated rolls in one operating unit in combination with belt type corrugating uni'ts. The latter arrangement is particularly desirable where the ultimate corrugations are so fine as to be more readily produced by rolls than belts, and such arrangement is specifically covered and more fully disclosed in my related copending application Serial No. 106,685, filed October 20, 1936.

While the present method and machine are directed particularly to the productionoflongitudinal corrugations in paper or like material, it will be understood that the material may be creped in another direction either prior to or subsequent to the practice of the present invention in order thatthe material in its finalform may be elasticin several directions. Thus, the invention is capable of use in connection with either or both of the principles disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,595,991, dated August. 17, 1926, and Patent No. 1,680,203, datedAugust 7,

The present invention contemplates action upon the web or sheet of material while either dry or wet. The longitudinal corrugations produced maybe left as formed or crushed into flat crinkles. As more fully hereafter explained, pressing mechanism may be incorporated in the present apparatus following thelast corrugating unit, and arrangement may be made to maintain the corrugations and prevent spreading of the web during transit between' the corrugating and pressing means. i

Other features'and objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the apparatus as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In such drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a corrugating 'machine constructed in' accordance with the invention, certainfparts of theunderlying operating mechanism being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationcorresponding to Fi 2; I

Fig. 4 is a transverse elevation taken of the left ,end of the view of Fig. 2;

Figs.'5, 6 and 7 are enlarged fragmentary views of certain parts of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2; t

'Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view corresponding to Fig. 1 involving a somewhat modified construction;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevation corresponding to Fig. 8;

Fig.10 is a fragmentary end elevation of certain elements in the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modifying construction of the invention and generally corresponding to Fig. 1; f i

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic longitudinal elevation of the embodiment of Fl'g. 11, and also shows additionally one type of system in which the invention may be employed in association with auxiliary mechanisms in producing corrugating material from a continuous web;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary end elevation illustrating certain operating parts employed in the embodiment of Figs. 11 and 12, and generally resembling corresponding parts in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 as illustrated in Fig. 6;

Figs. 14 and 15 respectively illustrate more or less diagrammatically the form of the material developed in the preliminary narrowing stage and the subsequent corrugated structure as formed inthe second operating stage; and

Fig. 16 illustrates the form of the web where the material, asillustrated in Fig. 16, is subjected to a pressing operation to change the corrugations into fiat pleats.

The principles of the apparatus may be understood by reference to the main embodiment as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and the collateral views of Figs. 3 through 7. The reference character l designates generally a lower frame' designed t o be mounted preferably in a horizontal position upon suitable standards (not shown). Spaced above the lower frame is an upper frame which is preferably divided into independent longitudinally adjoining sections 2 and I. ,Each of the upper frame sections is adjustably supported in relation to the lower frame to allow the operative relation of the coacting corrugating elements to be varied. There will he a plurality of the supporting and adjusting devices located on each side of the upper and lower frame longitudinally spaced from each other and preferably located at or near the respective ends of the upper frame sections! and 3. The general arrangement of such devices may be understood by reference to Figs. 1'and4. As best shown in Fig. 2 each of these devices will include a supporting memberv l secured to the side of the lower frame i through which extends a shaft l. On the shaft is fixed a supporting element 0 which provides an abutment seating on the upper end of the supporting member 4. The shaft I extends upwardly to make screwthreaded engagement with a supporting member I affixed to.;the side of the upper framefmember. By rotating the shaft'the upper-frame will be raised and lowered with respect to the lower irame, and it will be understood that the *variousdevlces at the different parts of the frame are'independently adiustable so that the two upper frame sections may be adjusted independentlyof eachpther and one end of each of the sections adjusted independently of the other end. Such an arrangementis employed so that the corrugating elements may be varied in their operative relation at different parts of their length. To prevent inadvertent changes ln the setting of the frame members, the upperend of the supporting shaft 5 is provided with locking means. At the upper end of the spaced cross beams I and] is secured a plate I through which extends a looking bolt il engageable with the end of the shaft 5. Once the adjustment is made through rota tion of the shaft l by the wheel I! the locking bolt It may be brought into engagement with the end of the shaft to fix its position.

The corrugating mechanism of themachine in the present embodiment takes the form of coacting upper and lower sets of traveling endless belts which cooperate to produce corrugations in material as the elements carry the. material through the machine. Such type of corrugating mechanism is generally shown and explained in my prior Patent No. 1,716,260, but in the present at their ends in the sides of the upper frame secinstance several stages of belts are employed in carrying out my novel method, under which a preliminary set of corrugations are first formed for the purpose of narrowing the web and then such corrugations converted by other corrugating elements further on in the machine into an entirely new arrangement of corrugations. For purposes of convenience in describing the corrugating mechanism of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, I will refer to the corrugating instrumentalities which effect preliminary corrugation of the material as theinitial narrowing and corrugating unit. The assembly of corrugating elements which act on the web after preliminary operation of the elements of the first unit will be referred to asthe further or second corrugating unit, although it may be here explained that it may in some'cases be desirable to have the corrugating belts of the first unit extend into or through the second corrugating unit. In any case, however, it will be understood that in the second corrugating unit the assembly of the belts is entirely different in character from the arrangement in the first unit so as to produce an entirely different corrugated effect than attained inthe'flrst unit alone.

In the initial unit of the machine the corrugating mechanism will include a set of-longitudinally extendingparallel elements comprising a series of round endless belts Iii'supported in the upper frame section 2. A coacting set of similar belts II is supported in the lower frame 1.

The upper belts Ill preferably pass over and are driven'by a series of uniformly spaced'shives supported on suitable shafts" journaled in the sides of the upper frame section 2. At the inlet end of the machine, being at the right in-Fig. 1, there is only a single central belt I carried by a shive I2. Coacting with said upper central'belt are a pair of. belts I I supported by shives I3. The construction of the upper and lower shives and the arrangement of the coacting belts at this stage of the machine is best shown in Fig. 5.

The number of belts is progressively increased at successive points in the initial unit so that the material is gradually narrowed. The number of belts progressively introduced will depend upon the width of the web to be acted upon and it will be clearly understoodthat the present showing is merely'illustrative. r

Following the shive I2 is a series of three shives I M in the upper section. two additional belts I0 being introduced at this point while two additional lower belts I are introduced to coact therewith, the latter being supported on a series of four shives |5.. It may be here explained that for purposes of clarity the lower belts II have been omitted from theplan view of Fig. 1 but are fully shown in Fig. 2.

Spaced rearwardly from the second series of shives are a further, series of upper and lower shives I6 and I1 at which point further'upper and lower belts I0 and Il may be introduced.

After the preliminarycorrugation of the material has progressed to the desired width, the formation of the initial corrugations may be discontinued, and this is the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1. A terminal set, of upper and lower shives I8 and I9 for the upper and lower belts l0 and I is shown following the shives II. Such shives mayin' the present embodiment be said to constitute the end of the preliminary operatin unit of the machine.

Supporting the respective shives |2, I4, I6 and I8 are a series of shafts 20, 22, 24 and 26 journaled tion 2. The lower set of shives I3, I5, I1 and II are similarly supported in the lower frame I by shafts 2|, 23, 25 and 21. By reasonofthe substantial lateral spacing of the various belts in the initial unit only relatively-coarse con'ugations will'be produced inthe material, and this ispreierred as it is intended that-the'preliminary corrugations shall serve primarily to produce the necessary transverse crowding 'in' the material which will enable other corrugations, which-repoints in the initial unit, the narrowing of the web, while gradual, may be efiected in a relatively short distance duringlongitudinalv traverse through the'machine. t

Afterhaving beencrowded and narrowed by the web progresses into thesecond unit of the machine which-includes corrugating elements adapted to produce a different form and arrangement of corrugations. The secondunit of-the machine in the present instance includes'an upthe corrugating instrumentalities of the first unit,"

per set oi. traveling belts 30 and-a coacting lower 7 set of belts 3|. As shown, certain of these belts may be supported at their initial end on shives 44 and 45disposed upon the upper and lower shafts '26 and 21 of the initial corrugating unit between the respective shives I8 and I3 which carryxthe' belts "land I. Further shives 32, 34and 33 may be arranged longitudinally of the machine to support theupper belts;3ll' and similar shives 33, 35 and 31, provided to carry the lower. belts 3|. As shownin Fig.2, the respective upper shives 32, 34 and 36 are supported respectively on shafts, 40' and 42 journaled in the side members of: the upper frame section 3, while the corresponding shives 33, 35 and 31 are fixed to shafts '39, 4|

and 43 journaled in'the side members of the I lower frame I. I

By reference again to Fig. 1, it will benoted, that thelateral spacing of'the belts in the second unit is substantially smaller than in the initial unit. Two belts 30 are introduced on the shives "44 in longitudinal alignment with the spaces "between each two'adjac'ent belts I (I of theinitial unit. At the shaft 38 through proper spacing of the shives 32 additional belts 30 are introduced in longitudinal alignment with the belts lfl'ofthe initial unit. It will be understood, therefore, that vin the second unit of. the machine each of the original coarse corrugations in the materialis re-formed into two finer corrugations, thisbeing.

possible because sufficient material is transversely crowded into the coarse corrugations to allow a series of narrower and shallower corrugations to be'formedtherefrom. While reference has been made only to the arrangement of the upper set of belts in the second unit, it will 'be understood by reference to Figs. 6 and 7 that a similar-'arrangement is made in the lower belts 3| and the shives which carry the same. 1

In the event coarse corrugations have not'been formed to the full width of the web, the previously uncorrugated edge areas may, nevertheless, be provided with the finer type'of corrugation. That is to say, the number of upper and lower belts 30 and II may be progressively increased at various stages of the second operating unit, and this feature is shown in Fig. 1. Therein additional belts are introduced at the edges of the set through an increased number of shives on each of the shafts 28 and 40. It is assumed, however, that by the time the web has been acted upon by the edge belts which begin at shaft corrugation has been effected throughout the complete width. It will be noted by comparing Figs. 1 and 3 that the end shives such as 46 are of smaller diameter than the other shives of the series. This will mean that the edge belts 41 of the set will in the first part of their traverse not initially overlap the coacting lower belts 48. By the time, however, the edge belts 41 reach shaft 42 they will engage larger shives and lie in overlapped relation with the lower belts 48.

The arrangement for bringing the edge belts 41 and 42 gradually into overlapping corrugating relationship is to avoid tearing at the edges of the material. It will be understood, furthermore, that the general relationship of the sets of upper belts 24 including their edge belts 41 and the sets of lower belts 3| including their edge belts 48 may be adjusted, and entirely independentl of the initial section through the adjustment 11 cans heretofore described since the two sections 2 and I of the upper frame can be raised or lowered independently of each other.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 and the comparative views of Figs. 5 and 7 that the shives carrying the corrugating belts in the initial unit are of larger diameter than the shives in the second unit of the machine. As previously explained, coarser corrugations are formed in the initial unit than in the subsequent corrugating unit. As shown in Fig. 7 the upper and lower belts in the second unit will travel substantially in the same horizontal plane whereas in the initial unit, as indicated in Fig. 5, the upper belts I. will in order to form the deep coarser corrugations travel below the plane of the lower set of belts ll. Hence the shives in the second operating unit may be made of smaller diameter, and of course the planes of the shafts which support the smaller upper and lower shives will be closer together than the planes of the upper and lower shafts which support the larger shives in the initial unit. Further, the initial shives 44, will be smaller than the next shives 32, 34 in the second unit so that the finer corrugating belts II, II will gradually converge into engagement with the material as it leaves the prior corrugation section of the machine.

The traveling belts of the several operating units will be positively driven, and preferably this will be done by driving all of the upper and lower shives of both sections. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a series of gears such as 50 and SI, one mounted on and rotating a shaft carrying the shives of the upper belts and the other mounted on and rotating the shaft of the lower shives of the next series, will intermesh to drive the corresponding shives. A gear train comprising alternate gears 50 and SI will extend through the length of the machine as indicated in Fig. 3. At any suitable point power may be imparted to the gear train from a suitable driving mechanism. In view of the fact that the upper and lower sections of the frame are relatively adjustable and change the relation of the respective gears 50 and ii, the gear teeth should be made relatively deep so that they will properly mesh in any position of theframe parts. The gears 54, II of the train which drive the larger shives of the initial'section of the machine will be made of such size in relation to the corresponding gears which drive the smaller shives of the second section of the machine that the belts of the several sections will all have the same linear speed so as to carry the material at a constant speed through the length of the machine.

Where, as shown, it is desired to drive all of the upper and lower shives, intermeshing gears 52 and 53 may be secured on the ends of the upper and lower shive shafts. Through this arrangement, since one of the shafts will be positively driven through either the gear ill or Iii, the other shaft and its shives will be also positively driven. The relationship of the gears 52 and 53 to the gears ill and BI may be best understood by reference to Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 6, because of the large size and slower rotation of the shives i8, II which carry belts i0, I i of the first unit to the shives 44,45 which carry the belts 20, ll of the second unit, the larger shives are supported on bushings and free to rotate on shafts 26, 21 while the "caller shives are fixed to the shafts.

Where it is desired to obtain material with the corrugations as formed in the second unit of the machine, no further operation need be performed. In making elastic crepe material, however, it is normally desirable to crush the corrugations into fiat crinkles. A third unit may be incorporated in the machine for this purpose, the same comprising in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 a pair of smooth surfaced pressing rolls 54 and 55 fixed to shafts 58 and 51. These rolls may be journaied in the upper and lower parts of the frame at the end of the second unit with their plane of contact in general alinement with the web as discharged at shives 36 and 31 from the belts of the second corrugating unit of the machine. By such arrangement the web before discharge will be subjected to the action of the pressing rolls and the corrugations crushed flat. The extent of crushing action may be regulated by adjusting the pressure between the rolls I4 and 55 by regulating the adjustable supports at the outlet end of the upper and lower frame parts i and 3. It is obvious, however, that the shafts 5i and 51 of the rolls may be adjustably journaled in the frame so that the pressure may be regulated without in any way affecting the operative relation between the upper and lower corrugating belts which are also supported in the same frame. The pressing rolls will preferably be geared together and driven through the gear train previously described.

In order to hold the corrugations in their proper shape and prevent the material from spreading laterally during transit between the end of the corrugating unit. as may sometimes occur with the arrangement of the crushing rolls as just described, a slightly modified construction may be resorted to such as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. In the modification the smooth surface crushing rolls heretofore described may be replaced by other upper and lower crushing rolls 58 and 59 journaled on shafts M and ii. In such rolls peripheral grooves are provided, and the belts ll of the second corrugating unit extended around the crushing rolls, being received in the grooves therein as best shown in Fig. 10. The upper and lower belts Ill andll overlap each other at the terminal shives 36 and 11, but will gradually diverge and at the bight between the 15 crushingrolls 58 and 59 such belts, by properly proportioning the grooves in the rolls, will just fill the grooves. The provision of the grooves will in this manner not in any way interferewith the eflective crushing action of the rolls on the orrugated web. I

It will be apparent that the upperjand lower belts and 3| will be relatively eflective in maintaining the corrugations previously formed and preventing the material from spreading laterally during transit to the crushing rolls. v

In some instances it may be desirable toextend the upper and lower belts beyond the point where they both are'maintained in operative en-' gagement with'the material. In some instances it has been found that the edges '01 thepaper tend to become'pinched between the outer sets of corrugating belts, and as the result tend to stickto either the upperor. lower set of belts, or more particularly, to the terminal shives around which the belts pass. Tearing of the materialoften results. This difliculty may be overcome by causing the belts to separate beabruptly around such shives;

Illustration'of this feature of the invention is shown in the further embodiment of Figs. 11 and,

yond the terminal-shives instead of passing 12. Here instead of passingdirectly' around the crushing rolls as is the case in the arrangement of Fig. '8, the lowerbelts extend beyond the crushing roll isto-a'shive 64 and the upper belts I. are similarly extended beyond the crushing roll 58 to similar terminal shives 65. The latter shives are preferably supported substantially above the general operating plane of the machine. With such arrangement theupper and lower belts 30 and 3| after leaving the crushing rolls pass along divergent paths, preventing the web of material which maybe withdrawnas shown in Fig. 12 from sticking to the crushing rolls and thus eliminating any serious danger of tearing. It will be understood that the manner of discharging the material employing the ads ditional shives and I! may be similarly 'em-" ployed in a machine where the web is to be discharged immediately following the termination of the corrugating operation without the use of the crushing rolls-5s and 59.

As previously mentioned, the preliminary nar-' rowing operation of thefirst unit may-be carried out to'substantially the full width of the material, and such an arrangement is also 11- lustrated in the embodiments of'Figs. l1 and 12. In its general set-up the arrangement is similar to that found in Figs. 1 and 2. The primary diflerence is that the number of belts in the initial unit must-be progressively increased to a greater widththan in the previous embodiment, and this of course requires a greater number of shives in the first unit. In Figs; 11 and 12 the upper and lower shives as diagrammatically indicated by-the reference numerals '12 through vl9 correspond respectively in position to the shives l2 through I 9. Whereas, however, in the prior embodiment the coarse corrugating belts and shives terminate with the shives l8 and I9, in the present embodiment the belts will be extended, with additional belts added atthe edges until the web has been narrowed for substantially its full width. Thus, additional upper and lower shives, two pairs 80, BI and 82, 83 being shown for illustration, are added beyond shives I8 and 19. Such an arrangement doesnotnecessitate an increase in the length of the ma-' chine but merelyincreases the length of the initial.

Fig. 14. Therein coarse-corrugations only are creased. In the preceding series of shivesl l, 35, best shown in Fig. 7, the shoulders 84, I

corrugating unit with a corresponding reduction Thus, in eflect, the new shives 80, II and l2, l3 merely replace the fifth and sixth set of shives 32, 33 and 34, 35 of the machine in Fig. 1. The 5 shives occupying the position of the seventh series inFig. 1 are the same in the present embodiment andare similarly indicated by the ref erence numeral 36. In the, present embodiment the shives in the position of 82, that is the sixth in the series, will constitute the terminal shives for thecoarse corrugating belts :or the first unit of the machine. Their shafts 'wfll alsosu'pport the finer set of belts of the second unit. The duplex construction of the shives 82, 88 is illus-' trated in Fig. 13. In general they conform to the set of shives constituting the fourthin the series in Fig. l and illustrated in Fig. 6. j v By, comparison of Figs. 13 and 6, it will be noted that the large shives supporting the belts 20 of the-first unit are somewhat larger than in the machine of Fig."1.y'I'his will result'in a somewhat different operative relation between the upper and'low'er beltsv calculated to produce a somewhat deeper coarse corrugation. "The 25 comparison will make it entirely clear that by material may be formed into a multiplicity of.86

fine corrugationsin two operating stages in a relatively short longitudinal traverse. Theresult of the initial operatingstage, as carried out in the first unit of the machine, is indicated. in

formed for the purpose of transversely crowding the web. Fig. 15 illustrates the web after passing through the second operating v stagafltha original coarse corrugations being each reformed into two new distinct corrugations of finer character'and entirely different in shape by the more closely arranged upper and lower belts II and 3|, oi the second unit of the machine. The product, as shown in Fig. 15, will in some cases. represent the finished article. 'Where, however. the crushing rolls are employed to press the cor l rugations, the latter will be flattened down into the crinkled pleats and will assume the form shown in Fig. 16.

Since the corrugating belts 30 and 3| have f been previously described as circular in crosssection, it would be assumed'that the corrugations in the product as represented in Fig. 15 would be more or less round. Arrangement is, however, made to obtain the creasedrectangular shaped corrugation of" the illustrated product through the construction of the shives in the second stage of the machine. By providing the upper and lower'terminal series of shives 36, 31 with'deep pulley grooves having relatively sharp peripheral shoulders in the machine of Figs. 1 and 2, the material in being pressed between the upper and lower belts will be" engaged by the coacting shoulders of the shives and thereby need not. be sufliciently high to give a creasing action. 7 i

The particular operation of the machine will now be apparent. .It may be. desired to moisten t e material before passing-it through the ma- 7 chine and then after leaving the machine conduct it around a drying roll to iron the same and remove the moisture therefrom. This is a more or less conventional set-up and is diagrammatically indicated in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 12. The material either before or after the practice of the present invention may be transversely creped if desired. The invention is particularly applicable to making longitudinally corrugated elastic paper, but also may be used for making light corrugated board and other materials.

I claim: a

l. The method of producing crepe which includes forming preliminary coarse longitudinal corrugations in a moving web extending over at least a substantial portion of the width of the web between the side edges, and then forming a liner series of longitudinal corrugations in the web to the iull'width thereof.

2. The method of producing crepe which includes forming preliminary coarse longitudinal corrugations ina moving web extending over the central portion of the web, and then forming flner longitudinal corrugations in the web in the central coarsely corrugated portion and. in the edge portions adjoining the central web portion.

3. In a corrugating machine, the combination of a narrowing unit comprising opposing coacting sets 01' longitudinally'extending spaced elements adapted to support and form longitudinal corrugations in a web passed through the unit between said sets of elements, and a following corrugating unit comprising opposing coacting initially corrugate material passed between the coacting sets, iurther upper and lower coacting sets of parallel longitudinally extending corrugating elements differing in number and spacing from the elements of the prior sets and engageable with the material as corrugated by the elements of the prior sets, at least certain of the elements of said further sets being alined with the longitudinal spaces between the elements of the initial sets, and means for supporting the corrugating elements of the various corrugating,

sets.

5. In a corrugating machine, a web narrowing unit comprising coacting sets of spaced traveling belts between which a web of material is supported and longitudinally corrugated during passage through the unit, a corrugating unit comprising coacting sets 01' spaced traveling,

corrugation-forming belts adapted to divide the web into finer corrugations than produced in the narrowing unit.

6. In a corrugating machine, a preliminary narrowing unit comprising opposing sets of coacting parallel spaced traveling belts adapted to progressively form coarse longitudinal corrugations in a web of material carried between the sets of belts, and a corrugating unit comprising similar sets of traveling belts arranged in more closely spaced relation than the belts in the narrowing unit and adapted to conv'ert the coarse web corrugations into a new set of relatively fine corrugations.

7. In a corrugating machine, an initial operating unit having opposing spaced apart supports, coacting sets of parallel spaced traveling material-sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements of one set coacting with those of the other to transversely crowd and preliminarily corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a further operating unit longitudinally adjoining the initial unit having opposing spaced apart supports, coacting sets of parallel traveling material-sustaining and corrugating elements having a diiferent lateral spacing than the elements of the initial unit and arranged on the opposing supports to carry and corrugate between theelements materialreceived from the initial unit, and means for effecting movement ofv the elements of the various units.

8. In a corrugating machine, coacting sets of longitudinally extending parallel spaced belts arranged to transversely crowd and preliminarily, corrugate material passed between the coacting sets. further coacting sets of longitudinally extending belts adapted to iurthercorrugate therebetween material initially acted upon by bolts of the prior sets, at least certain of the belts 0! said respective further sets being longitudinally alined with spaces between adjacent belts of the corresponding prior sets, and means for supporting and driving the belts.

9; In a corrugating machine, an initial operating unit comprising coacting sets of longitudinally extending endless belts arranged to corrugate material passed therebetween, the adjacent coacting belts of thesets being spaced substantially offset from eachoth'er to form relatively coarse corrugations in the material, means for supporting and driving the belts, a further operating unit disposed end to end with the initial unit comprising additional coacting sets of endless belts arranged to corrugate therebetween the material discharged from the initial unit, the adjacent coacting belts of the sets being more closely spaced v than the coacting belts of the initial unit to form relatively iiner corrugations in the material, andmeans for supporting and driving said belts.

10. Acorrugating machine including a plurality of opposing spaced apart supports, an initial operating unit comprising coacting sets of spaced traveling, material-sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements or one set coacting with those of theother to corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a further operating unit longitudinallyalined with the initial unit comprising coacting sets of material supporting and corrugating elements arranged on opposing supports to receive material discharged from the initial unit and form therein new corrugations, the elements in the sets 01 the subsequent operating unit being greater in number and more closely spaced laterally than the elements oi the initial unit, and driving means for the elements of the various units. a

11. In a corrugating machine, an initial operating unit comprising coactingupper and-lower sets of longitudinally extending laterally spaced corrugating elements arranged to produce longitudinal corrugations passed between the sets, a further operating unit arranged end to end with the initial unit and including other upper and lower sets of longitudinal corrugating elements arranged to further corrugate the material acted upon by the initial unit, means for supporting the -respective sets of corrugating elements, and rollsat the outlet end of the corrugating means means for adjusting the operative relation between the upper and lower elements of the respective units, the adjustment means for one unit being operable independently of the adjustment means for the other unit.

12. In a corrugating machine a plurality of spaced apart supports, corrugating means comprising coaoting'sets of parallel spaced traveling material sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements of one set coacting with those of the other set to corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a pair of crushing rolls at the outlet end of the corrugating means for compressing the corrugations of the material into permanent crinkles, said crushing rolls being provided with peripheral grooves receiving the traveling elements of the corrugating means.

13. In a corrugating machine a plurality-of spaced apart supports, corrugating means comprising coacting sets of parallel spaced traveling material sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements of one set coacting with those of the other set to corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a pair of crushing rolls at the outlet end of the corrugating means for compressing the corrugations of the material into permanent crinkles, said crushing rolls being provided with peripheral grooves and the traveling elements of the corrugating means seating in said grooves and passing around the crushing rolls. r

14. In a corrugating'machine a plurality of spaced apart supports, corrugating means comprising coacting' sets of parallel spaced traveling.

material sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements of one set coacting with those 01' the other set to corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a pair or crushing for compressing the corrugations of the material into permanent crinkles, grooves in the crushing rolls receiving the traveling elements of the corrugating means during crushing of the corrugations, said traveling elements extending beyond the crushing rolls.

15. In a corrugating machine a plurality of spaced apart supports, corrugating means com- .prising coacting sets 01 parallel spaced traveling material sustaining and corrugating elements on the opposing supports arranged with the corrugating elements of one set coacting with those of the other set to corrugate material carried by and between the elements, a pair 01' crushing rolls at the outlet end of the corrugating means for compressing the corrugations of the material into permanent crinkles, grooves in the crushing rolls receiving the traveling elements of the crushing means during crushing of the corrugations, and terminal supports for the respective sets of traveling elements located beyond the crushing rolls and being spaced apart from each other to cause the respective sets of traveling elements to diverge trom each other after'leaving the crushing rolls.

16'. In a corrugating machine, coacting sets of spaced traveling belts adapted to support a web and form therein parallel longitudinal corrugations, and a subsequent corrugating unit having.

forming means adapted to sub-divide the corrugations formed by the belts into a greater number of new corrugations.

17. In a corrugating machine, the combination of web-narrowing means adapted to produce coarse longitudinal corrugations in a web passing therethrough, and a subsequent cormgating unit comprising coacting sets 01' traveling belts adapted to re-torm the corrugations produced by the narrowing means into va greater number of smaller longitudinal corrugations.

WIILIAM H. CANNARD. 

